A Place of My Own by Edward Murphy

A Place of My Own by Edward Murphy

Edward Murphy loves to hunt. In A Place of My Own, he reflects fondly on his time spent in the woods of Pennsylvania hunting everything from deer and turkey to grouse and pheasants with his sons and friends. Black and white photos of their trophies from over the years are interspersed throughout the chapters. Murphy makes known his longtime goal of owning hunting land and this is a major focus of his writing. After years of hunting on other people’s’ property, Murphy explains the events that led to him fulfilling his dream and becoming the owner of a cabin on land—a place truly his own.

Those who enjoy hunting themselves are sure to appreciate Murphy’s writing. In addition to describing his hunts, Murphy discusses various hunting related activities such as using a dehydrator to make venison jerky and adjusting his rifle prior to a hunt. There are parts of A Place of My Own that may interest non-hunters, as well. Murphy’s love for the woods, regardless of whether he kills anything, is undeniable. He takes a week of vacation each year to hunt, spending ten hours a day in a tree-stand. “This is what I chose to do and I love it,” explains Murphy. His contentment simply being a part of nature is a made clear through details in his writing. For example, he describes a pair of eastern phoebes that take up residence on the front porch cross beam of his cabin and the crisp morning air when he rises early to sit in the tree-stand. It’s impossible not to celebrate with Murphy when he purchases his own cabin and starts to settle in. Whatever one’s lifelong goal, witnessing Murphy achieve his own is inspiring and serves as a reminder to never stop pursuing the things that bring us joy.